1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic range, and more particularly to an electronic range configured to efficiently supply, into a cavity, heat generated from a heater installed in the electronic range.
2. Description of the Related Art
As well known, an electronic range is adapted to heat an object, to be heated, using microwaves. Recently, a variety of heating methods have been proposed to allow electronic ranges to have various functions. For example, a separate heater is installed in an electronic range so as to heat food using heat generated from the heater.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional electronic range is illustrated, which is provided with a heater as a separate heating source. The electronic range is of a type having a hood function. This electronic range is provided with a heater installed over a cavity.
The configuration of such a conventional electronic range will be described in conjunction with FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic range includes a heater chamber 4 arranged over a cavity 2 in which food is received and heated. Heaters 6a and 6b are arranged in the heater chamber 4.
A fan 10 is installed at a central portion of the heater chamber 4. The fan 10 is configured to be rotated by a motor coupled thereto. At the top of the cavity 2 corresponding to the bottom of the heater chamber 4, an air suction portion 8 and air supply portions 9a and 9b are provided in order to allow air to be circulated by an operation of the fan 10.
The air suction portion 8 is arranged at a region corresponding to the central portion of the fan 10 and adapted to suck air from the cavity 2. The air supply portions 9a and 9b are arranged at a region corresponding to the peripheral portion of the fan 10. The air supply portions 9a and 9b serve to supply again, into the cavity 2, the air sucked from the cavity via the air suction portion 8.
Preferably, each of the air suction portion 8 and air supply portions 9a and 9b comprises a plurality of through holes.
Where it is desired to conduct a heating operation using the heaters 6a and 6b in the above mentioned electronic range, electric power is applied to the heaters 6a and 6b which, in turn, generate heat. Simultaneously, the fan 10 is operated. In accordance with the operation of the fan 10, air is sucked from the cavity 2 via the air suction portion 8, and then discharged again into the cavity 2 via the air supply portions 9a and 9b arranged around the air suction portion 8. Accordingly, heat generated from the heaters 6a and 6b is supplied into the cavity 2 during the operation of the fan 10.
In the case of such a conventional electronic range, the fan 10 typically comprises a centrifugal fan configured to generate a centrifugal force. By virtue of the centrifugal force generated from the centrifugal fan, air circulates through the cavity 2.
That is, the above mentioned conventional electronic range utilizes a convection heating method involving a convection of heat. The convection of heat in this electronic range is carried out as heat circulating through the cavity 2 passes through the air suction portion 8 and air supply portions 9a and 9b provided at the bottom of the heater chamber 4.
In this case, heat from the heater chamber 4 is supplied into the cavity 2 at a region near the inner surface of a side wall defining the cavity 2 after being sucked from the cavity 2 at the central portion of the cavity 2. When the heat of a high temperature is introduced into the cavity 2, it first comes into contact with the side wall of the cavity 2, thereby heating the entire wall of the cavity 2 to a high temperature. As a result, there is a problem in that a large amount of heat is lost through the wall of the cavity 2.
After passing the wall of the cavity 2, the heat is convected toward the central portion of the cavity 2. However, such a convection path of the heat is long, thereby resulting in a slow cooking speed. Furthermore, there is a problem in that an insufficient amount of heat is supplied to food disposed in the cavity 2 because the heat supplied into the cavity 2 cannot be directly supplied to the food.
Furthermore, the convection of heat is ineffectively carried out because of air flows discharged and sucked through the air suction portion 8 and air supply portions 9a and 9b arranged directly beneath the fan 10. For this reason, there is a problem in that heat discharged from the heater chamber 4 is sucked again into the heater chamber 4 before it reaches the food.
The present invention has been made in view of the above mentioned problems, and an object of the invention is to provide an electronic range configured to emit heat generated from a heater into a cavity in a direct downward direction so as to allow the heat to be directly supplied to food disposed in the cavity, while providing a smooth flow of air during a transfer of the heat into the cavity, thereby achieving an improvement in thermal efficiency.
In accordance with the present invention, this object is accomplished by providing an electronic range comprising a cavity, in which cooking of food is to be conducted, a heater chamber arranged over the cavity, an axial-flow fan arranged in the heater chamber and adapted to generate a downward flow of air, and a heater arranged outside the axial-flow fan and adapted to generate heat of a high temperature, further comprising: a convection plate arranged between the axial-flow fan and the heater, the convection plate serving to control a flow of air circulating in the interior of the electronic range to effectively convect the heat generated from the heater into the cavity during an operation of the axial-flow fan causing a repeated procedure of downwardly introducing the downward flow of air into the cavity, and then upwardly moving the flow of air along a side wall of the cavity.
The convection plate may be arranged over the heater to reflect the heat generated from the heater toward the cavity. In this case, the convection plate may be arranged adjacent to an outer peripheral edge of the axial-flow fan to strongly inject the circulating air flow into the cavity at the outer peripheral edge of the axial-flow fan.
The convection plate may have a shape surrounding the heater. In this case, the convection plate may be arranged adjacent to an outer peripheral edge of the axial-flow fan to strongly inject the circulating air flow into the cavity at the outer peripheral edge of the axial-flow fan.
The axial-flow fan, the heater, and the convection plate may be arranged at a position eccentric with respect to a center of the heater chamber.
Preferably, the convection plate is arranged adjacent to an outer peripheral edge of the axial-flow fan to strongly inject the circulating air flow into the cavity at the outer peripheral edge of the axial-flow fan. In this case, the convection plate is arranged beneath the heater to partition the air flow flowing from the heater chamber into the cavity and the air flow flowing from the cavity into the heater chamber from each other.